Abstract:
German ingredients firm Aquanova has found a way to extend the use of preservatives sorbic and benzoic acid into foods with a high pH using its NovaSOL nanotechnology.

Sorbic and benzoic acid are commonly used as preservatives, but until now their usefulness has been limited to the more acidic end of the pH scale, since performance decreases above pH4 and above pH6 they are almost totally ineffectual.

The company claims its breakthrough will take the preservatives into "completely new dimensions and areas". It is introducing two new ranges, called NovaSOL DS and NovaSOL DC. The former is for use inside food and beverage products, and the latter on surfaces - be it the surface of a food like sausage casings, cheese rinds and citrus fruits, or on equipment used by food manufacturers and other industries.